


Against All Reason

by Coclico



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Historical, I suck at tagging, I'll probably add tags along the way, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Political Alliances, Same-Sex Marriage, ooc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-08
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2017-12-22 18:29:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/916578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coclico/pseuds/Coclico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael intents to marry King John's eldest son, Prince Dean, to strengthen the union between their countries, but things don't go as planned, to put it mildly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Suggestion

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank my wonderful beta threateningmysins, without whom I would have made quite a lot embarrassing mistakes, thank you =)  
> Still English isn't my native tongue, so if you find the wording strange or something - well, sorry in advance for that.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy my story.
> 
> The rating may go up later on.

Out of the four of them Lucifer had always been their father’s favorite and yet, as Michael was the eldest, he was the one who ruled them after their father passed away.

Out of the four of them Lucifer had always been the brightest in every single way. From his complexion to his mind – he outshone them all.

Gabriel was the jester, always willing to conjure smiles on his siblings’ faces and chase the seriousness away.

Raphael was a traditionalist at heart, and although nothing exceeded his loyalty toward their family, he was easily blinded by pride.

Michael was the first-born, the dutiful one, calm and collected, always ready to please their father. He was the good son.

 

And so Gabriel had come to expect many stupid things from all of them. All of them except Michael, of course. He could always count on Michael to make the right choice, make the best decision. Whatever his oldest brother did, he needn’t doubt for an instant it would be anything but correct, proper, righteous even; for Michael was the most selfless of them all. Forever ready to sacrifice his time and energy to do right by the people of the kingdom he had inherited.

He held his head, upon which their father’s crown rested, up high when he spoke to his folk, but Gabriel knew that the weight of the delicate silver ornament took its tolls on his favorite brother. The shade of the shadows under his eyes grew darker, while his skin turned paler. Although his brother never lost his composure, he wasn’t fooled by it. Michael’s bloodshot eyes indicated sleepless nights caused by the worries his regency brought with it.

“He needs a spouse.”, Gabriel mused. Somebody to lure him into bed at night and divert him from the matters of the state he constantly concerns himself with. Somebody who would let him forget his countless duties for a while and bring joy back into his eyes.

Somebody to help him carry the oppressing weight of his heritage.

 

As he suggested the possibility of marriage to his eldest brother, Michael looked up from his work with an unusual look on his face. He appeared to be baffled as well as dumbstruck. One of his rare smiles made an appearance and Gabriel can hardly recall when his brother had last looked at him like this – like he was an absolute genius. It must have been when they were still children.

“Marriage! Of course, how could I have been so blind? It would be a perfect means to boost trade, secure our relations with other royal houses, and therefore ensure lasting peace. How could I not have thought of it? This is truly a marvelous idea Gabriel, thank you for your advice.”

He should have known it. Leave it to Michael to turn the sacrament of love into a tool to gain political advantage.

A feeling of dread settled in his stomach. What if it wasn’t Michael’s intention to find a spouse for himself, but to marry off various members of their family? Despite his newly gained worry he couldn’t help a smile from tugging at the corners of his mouth as the notion of Lucifer marrying anyone crept into his mind.

He looked back to Michael, who had vigorously started to write a letter.

“Who are you writing to?”, he asked, not certain if he even wanted to hear the answer.

“Our neighbors,”, his king said without looking up to meet his worried glance, “to inquire if they would be interested in unions between our families.”

Plural, he had used plural, as in more than one wedding.

“I especially hope we can come to an agreement with the Winchesters, their access to the sea and iron deposits make them outstanding candidates, don’t you agree?”

They were also known to keep to themselves and for being hot-blooded and impulsive, but who was he to argue with his king. Only Lucifer had the courage to do that and even he approved of how their brother governed the country … at least most of the time.

“Shall we send an envoy to accompany the letter?”, he asked hesitantly instead.

“That would certainly be the best course of action. As a matter of fact I already have in mind who we could send. Such a prestigious union should be negotiated by a person worthy of my trust. I intend to send one of my brothers.”

Time for some damage control.

“In this case I would recommend sending Raphael.”, because Lucifer was never a good choice when it came to diplomatic discussions and Gabriel didn’t want to get himself involved in the whole matter anymore than strictly necessary. He didn’t intend to get into the line of fire and end up married to a person he hardly knew as a result.

Michael only nodded absently to show his approval, still engrossed in his writing. This went on for a couple of minutes before he paused. He tapped his quill on his desk a few times before looking up to meet his brothers gaze. The regent’s eyes drifted back and forth between the half written letter and his blond brother a handful of times before finally settling on his younger sibling.

“Not many members of our family have expressed their desire to be wed.”

The words he didn’t say rung so much louder than those he had actually voiced. Who could he annex into the Winchester family? Who to use as an anchor to gain deeper access to their neighboring country’s resources? Who indeed, this was the question.

“Our cousin Castiel is the only one I could think of right now.”, Gabriel suggested gingerly. Other words were dancing on the tip of his tongue, waiting for the moment they could cross the border of his lips.

“Aye, he has in fact spoken of the matter several times. In addition to that he is pleasant, pious, and possesses a bright mind. He would be a suitable party for one of John Winchester’s sons.”

Michael blinked a few times, seemingly starring at nothing, as if he was going to say more, but he remained silent. And so the words Gabriel had previously held in took the opportunity, used their owner’s tongue as a springboard and jumped into existence.

“What about you? You should marry!”

He hadn’t meant for the last part to come out so commandingly, but it seemed that his enthusiasm concerning the matter had overruled his restraint for the lapse of a few heartbeats.

“Think about it”, he tried to save the situation, “you are the oldest out of our generation, it would only seem right for you to be the first one to marry, besides, the throne is in dire need for an heir. If anything were to happen to you, Lucifer would be crowned king and while we both love him madly, we are also aware that he is unfit to rule.”

Gabriel knew that if he would list his true reasons for wishing his brother a spouse he would remain unsuccessful at his attempt to convince Michael. Taking matters of the state to argue his point, however, was always a good decision. It hurt the younger brother a bit that Michael was more concerned about what could benefit the state, than Gabriel’s worries about his physical, as well as mental, health.

“That is the reason he is the only one worthy of wearing our fathers crown, whereas Raphael, Lucifer and I would be our kingdom’s downfall.”, he reminded himself silently, the thought leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

Thankfully his dark-haired brother shook him back to awareness as his clear baritone voice filled the room once again.

“You are right, and not for the first time today I might add. Getting married …”

Gabriel could almost see how Michael turned the idea over in his head and for the second time today a smile was born on his king’s face. It was in no way comparable to the first one. The one which had occurred earlier had been one of satisfaction, evidence of how smitten he had been at the prospect of increasing his country’s wealth.  
This one however, it was private. Michael smiled just for himself. And his eyes, no, his whole face appeared to be involved in the smile. His entire being seemed to beam at the prospect of finding a companion.  
The last time Gabriel had witnessed his favorite sibling radiating like that had been before the death of their father.

“Yes, I think I would like that very much.”

 

All in all Gabriel was satisfied with himself today. They didn’t call him trickster behind his back for naught. Thanks to his sly words a new hope for the happiness of his brother was simmering at the future’s horizon.

Had he known beforehand what the following months would ensue though, he wouldn’t have congratulated himself quite so much.


	2. A Fateful Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything and therefore I shall not earn anything.  
> Beta: the lovely threatheningmysins, I can't thank her enough =)  
> Dedicated to: Joanna the Mad of Castile and Elizabeth Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary.

Gabriel wasn’t a person of premonition; which was probably why he was in such an outstanding mood. There was pie everywhere. Apparently Prince Dean was very fond of it, and since the feast was in part held in his honor, it could be found on every table they had encountered so far. As somebody who appreciated sweet food, he had started finding the eldest Winchester prince sympathetic before he had even met him in person. After all, how bad could a person be that took the opportunity to turn a diplomatic event into an unofficial pie festival?

For the meantime, Gabriel had nothing to worry about. Well, almost nothing. Michael and he were currently guests in Winchester, or Star Country, as it was often called by the commoners due to it being vaguely shaped like a pentagram. For the duration of their stay Lucifer was sitting on the throne as a substitute, which caused all of his relatives a bit of a headache as they feared he could prove himself too wild to govern a country. So far though, he had behaved surprisingly dignified.

.

Which left Gabriel with enough peace of mind to admire his surroundings. Whereas their castle was mostly made of stone, had wide doors and high windows, Winchester Castle hardly deserved its name. It was more of a fortress made of dark, sturdy wood with elements of iron and other metals around every corner.

Contrary to their home, which was constantly flooded by natural daylight through its innumerable windows, the Winchester’s estate barely provide its inhabitants with opportunities to look outside. Still, it could by no means be called a gloomy place, for every room was illuminated by one, if not several, fireplaces, torches, and a sheer endless amount of candles.

Everything seemed to glow in a warm, orange light, which created a homely and cozy atmosphere. This was underlined by the colors the Winchester family seemed to favor: brown, green, and red. Gabriel and his brothers preferred blue, white, and silver tones, but it wasn’t an unwelcome change.

.

However, this wasn’t by far the only aberrations between their families, as Gabriel would soon find out; for their countries didn’t just vary when it came to architecture. The cultural differences would prove to be by far more significant.

Back in their native land they would have been formally introduced to the royal family, but here it seemed they were more lax when it came to formalities.

“Hey, you’re King Michael, right? Nice to meet you.”, the young man who had addressed his brother in such an outrageously direct manner hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself. Instead, he extended his hand towards Michael with a broad smile on his face. To Gabriel’s astonishment, his king hardly missed a beat before returning the gesture with an unreadable face.

“It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord …?”

“Please, excuse my brother, your Majesties.” Gabriel took a step back, for a giant of a man had appeared besides the first one. “He has a hard time remembering his manners when he is aflutter. This is my older brother, Dean Winchester.” He gestured towards the first man, who had turned out to be the eldest prince, “It is truly an honor to meet you.” He finished his little speech with two deep bows - one directed at Michael, the other towards Gabriel. They both mirrored the gesture and directed one towards the shorter brother as well.

“Am I right in my assumption that you must be Prince Samuel then, King John’s second son?”, Gabriel asked while letting his eyes roam over the tall body before him. So this was the heir apparent to the Winchester throne. Another divergence between the two neighboring countries – the first-borns didn’t necessarily have to ascend the throne. While still alive, John’s precursor and father, King Henry Winchester, had required that Samuel would be the one succeeding John. A mere couple of days after his decease, Dean had announced very loudly and very publicly that he intended to supported his late grandfather’s wish, leaving John no other choice than to put Samuel first in the line of succession.

It was a well-known secret that Samuel had been Henry’s favorite grandson, while John preferred Dean out of his two sons. Nevertheless, shortly after his father’s death he signed a declaration which legally made Samuel his official successor, and degraded Dean to become second in the line of succession. According to gossip he had gritted his teeth throughout the whole process. And if this interesting rumor mill, which Raphael had discovered in the month prior to his brothers’ visit, was anything to go by, then there was a third person who could claim the throne if anything were to happen to the two Winchester brothers.

“Please, call me Sam. Samuel was my late maternal grandfather, I’d rather not be reminded of him every time someone calls my name. And you must be Prince Gabriel.”

He confirmed this presumption with a grin on his lips. Sam it was then.

They continued exchanging pleasantries for a few minutes, during which a small crowd loosely formed around them, listening in to their every word. Dean had hardly said something after the appearance of his younger sibling and seemed a bit bored with the conversation. Thankfully Michael picked up on his mood and tried to divert him.

“I believe you already met my brother, Raphael. I look forward to introducing you to my last brother, who you have yet to meet, Lucifer, and his lovely daughter.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a niece, neither that your brother had married.”

Oh-oh. Gabriel had a bad feeling as to where this conversation was heading.

“Alas my brother never found the right companion. My niece Lilith was born out of wedlock. I’m currently working on a law to enable children like her to become legitimate heirs.”

“A bastard?”

Gabriel could swear he saw his brother’s left eye twitch at this particular word. He didn’t appreciate it in general, but especially so when used in reference for his beloved niece. Gabriel could almost sense this chat turning into a verbal time-bomb ready to go off at any moment.

“And you want me to meet her?”

As Michael resumed talking his voice had taken on a cold tone.

“Precisely. She is my flesh and blood and nothing could ever prevent me from regarding her as anything less than a close member of my family. Although the law has yet to pass, I already consider her second in the line of succession, for she is my oldest brother’s heiress. Do you not wish to make her acquaintance?”

There were not many things Michael was easily irritated by. Lilith’s legitimacy, however, was one of those rare subjects one would do better not to mention in his king’s presence.

“No, no, that’s not it at all! I … you … please wait here for a second!” Dean uttered before storming off into the crowd. Whispers started spreading around the three royals left standing there by the elder Winchester.

“Please, forgive my brother. He can be quite blunt at times.” Sam hastily muttered an excuse for his sibling, but as soon as he had finished his sentence Dean had already returned, all but dragging a dark-blond boy behind him. The resemblance he bore to Sam, and especially Dean, was undeniable; and so it didn’t come as too much of a surprise for Gabriel how the eldest of John’s sons introduced the newcomer.

.

“Your Majesty, I’d like to present you Adam Milligan, our little brother.”

He had an impossibly wide smile on his face as he spoke those words. He couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice as he pronounced his younger sibling’s name. Gabriel came to the realization that he had completely misinterpreted the earlier situation. Dean hadn’t frowned upon Michael’s high esteem of his bastard niece, he had approved of it. He had merely expressed his surprise unbecomingly.

A still fuddled Adam didn’t even have the time to adapt to this new situation he had been thrown into, as Michael extended his right hand in his direction, obviously mimicking Dean’s earlier action. The young man turned to Sam for help, but only received a confused shrug in response.

Hesitantly he laid his hand in Michael’s, who then proceeded to bow down towards their joined hands. He delivered a tender kiss to the back of Adam’s hand, all the while looking at him through his eyelashes. As Michael greeted him, his lips brushed over Adam’s skin due to their ongoing closeness.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Adam.”

The young man’s breath hitched audibly, and Dean… well, Michael’s soon-to-be fiancé was practically beaming with joy, visibly pleased that this king was treating his misbegotten brother with such respect. Not only had he shown his appreciation for the other with the kiss he had delivered on his hand, but the fact that he had bowed to him proved that he acknowledged him as member of the royal family. Royalty only bowed to other royals after all.

Adam’s cheeks looked like they had been set aflame. He stared down at their still joined hands openmouthed, obviously not daring to withdraw. But then his mood shifted abruptly. He lowered his glance and bit his lower lip before answering in a surprisingly steady voice.

“I’m afraid I am no prince, your Majesty.”

His words apparently gave him the courage to free his hand from Michael’s grip. Dean’s smile rapidly started disappearing, but when he heard Michael’s comeback it came back tenfold.

“Then our opinions concerning that matter diverge. Or perhaps I am mistaken – are you not King John’s youngest son?”

“I am, but –“

“In that case, your Majesty, I insist on calling you by the title you rightfully deserve.”

Gabriel looked at his brother with unrestrained admiration and felt a wave of adoration rush over him, filling his insides with warmth. There was a reason he was his favorite brother, after all, and situations like this, where Michael truly proved he was a quixotic as well as a noble person, made him remember of why this was the case.

“And soon you’ll be able to call him Doctor!”

“Dean!”

“Is that so? How rare for a noble to exert a profession. Rare but no less admirable.”

Poor Adam. Michael and Dean had yet to be betrothed, but it seemed they had already become allies with the common goal of making the youngest Winchester’s face turn the darkest shade of red possible. And they appeared to be enjoying their new-found task, although being well aware of Adam’s embarrassment. Those sadists.

“Ah, younger brothers, they sure enrich life, don’t they.”, Dean said, his tone soft. He ruffled Adam’s blond hair affectionately and gave Sam a look full of warmth.

As Gabriel saw one of Michael’s rare smiles tugging at the corners of his mouth as he nodded in agreement, he thought to himself that Dean and his brother would be a marvelous couple.

Little did he know how wrong he was.


	3. Impending Doom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so much to my lovable beta reader threateningmysins (you can find her on AO3)! This story would only be half as good without her support!
> 
> Please excuse me for the long wait, could be even longer till the next chapter though, I'm afraid.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything and I therefore I shall not earn anything.
> 
> So thing will be going down in this chapter, hope you'll enjoy it.

13\. There were thirteen tables in the hall; eleven of them perfectly round while the two largest, which were situated in the middle of the room, had the shape of half moons. If everything went according to plan those two would be joined together to form one, reducing the amount of tables to a perfect twelve.

“How symbolic”, Gabriel thought with a snort.

His gaze swung over to his elder brother, who was silently sitting next to him at one of the crescent tables. Michael ought to be listening to King John’s speech about the importance of his and Dean’s impending betrothal, but he had a far away look on his face. His eyes seemed empty and Gabriel noticed that he hadn’t touched his glass of wine at all.

Gabriel, on the other hand, had had several already and was starting to experience a tingling sensation in his fingers as well as toes. He wasn’t used to wine. His country was famous for its mead, wine however, was rarely encountered on their territory. He felt a bit giddy due to the large amount of the unfamiliar alcoholic beverage.  
Usually he was able to hold his liquor fairly well, but today his head was swimming. He perceived everything in slow motion and more intensely than normally. Minutes seemed like hours, and apple pie quickly advanced to become his new favorite dish.

He was in far too good a mood to worry about his brother’s distant expression. Even in his sober state, though, Gabriel wouldn’t have been able to guess Michael’s ominous thoughts. Thoughts that would sink the world as he knew it into irrevocable chaos.

.

King John concluded his oration with an expectant smile towards Michael, giving him a sign that it was his turn to take action.

Decades later historians would still dispute amongst each other about what exactly happened in the following moments, with only a handful of people ever being certain of the truth. Gabriel was one of these people.

He observed his king as he looked down at their late grandmother’s engagement ring - legend had it she had forged it herself - twisting it around between his fingers in an unusually nervous gesture. His vision regained its normal clear and focused appearance, chasing away the remains of the peculiar, lost look.

Michael stood up and let his sight wander to the opposite table, where the Winchesters were seated. He cast Gabriel a last look, which Gabriel’s intoxicated brain managed to interpret as being apologetic, but before the younger man could question the reason behind it, his brother had already left their table to make his way over to the royal family.  
Gabriel inwardly cursed the alcohol that currently circulated in his veins for slowing him down. He had a feeling something significant was about to happen.

 

A smile blossomed on Michael’s lips, and it grew larger with every step he took towards his future in-laws. His feet carried him to Dean … and beyond.

A collective gasp went through the room as Michael kneeled down in front of Adam.

Everybody seemed to be shocked into silence. It became so eerily quiet that one could have probably heard a fish’s breath. The collective anticipation was almost palpable, the tension so thick it could probably be cut with a knife. Every single person appeared to hold their breath while waiting for Michael’s next move.

Had he perhaps not realized his mistake? Would he stand up again and apologize for his obvious error?

Gabriel’s sibling took Adam’s hand in his own for the second time this evening. His other hand expended towards the youngest Winchester as well, presenting him the ring he had previously toyed with. Gabriel couldn’t recall ever having seen such raw hope in Michael’s brownish green eyes.

Adam’s incredulous facial expression mirrored best what Gabriel felt on the inside. He swore to himself never to touch wine again for the remnant of his life. It was making him see things, for what he saw couldn’t be anything but a hallucination.

“Adam Milligan”, great, now he was starting to hear things as well. Michael, his responsible, obedient brother, who always put his country’s needs before his own, couldn’t possibly be the one starting a proposal to the wrong person.

“Would you do me the honor of becoming my husband as well as my king, of sharing your life with me; therefore uniting our countries by/in mutual love and respect?”

Those were the right words, the ones he had rehearsed on their journey to Star Country, but directed towards the wrong person. But in this short moment before the world started crumbling, neither Adam nor Michael seemed aware of the gravity of the situation.

Adam’s mouth was hanging slightly open, his eyes open wide and his cheeks were slowly but surely turning scarlet.

“Yes. Yes, of course. Yes, yes, yes, I do, I will, I mean, I would, I … yes.”

The stuttering teenager’s blue orbs filled with tears of happiness as Michael proceeded to tenderly put the ring on his finger. Gabriel’s king then kissed his new fiancé’s knuckle and caressed his hand lovingly.

For the duration of a heartbeat the panic which had gripped Gabriel tight loosened its hold as he saw the expression of pure bliss adorning his brother’s face. He seemed to radiate with joy, his features illuminated by an honest smile and his eyes sparkling with happiness.

The newly betrothed were lost to the world around them; they smiled at each other as if all was well. Adam raised his free hand to caress Michael’s cheek and Michael leaned into the touch without hesitation.

Who was this love sick fool his brother had been replaced with? Who was this stranger who wore his king’s face? Wore it with a smile too bright to possibly be the real Michael, the Michael he had known his whole life.

 

They were so entranced by one another that they were deaf to King John’s accusing screams of treason and dishonor, but thankfully Gabriel was not. He started to stumble towards his brother as King John’s guards were being ordered to lock Adam in his rooms and throw Michael out of his castle.

Gabriel’s heart was racing and he cursed himself for enjoying foreign drinks so much. He could hear the blood rushing through his ears. His traitorous stomach choose this precise moment to start cramping up so much he felt like he was going to be sick at any moment. Those feelings were only partly due to alcohol though, the fear for his brother’s well-being dominated his every thought.

He ran to Michael as fast as his intoxicated state allowed him and managed to reach him just as the guards arrived by Adam’s side. They grabbed the young man’s arms, heaving him up and away as Gabriel gripped Michael’s shoulder, yanking him back.

 

“Adam!”, his brother yelled as the Winchester’s hand was yanked away from his violently.

“Michael! Michael!”, the blond in turn called out for the fiancé he was forcefully being separated from. His hands were stretched towards Gabriel’s brother as if in grieving for the abrupt loss of contact. With only Michael’s name he managed to express all the desperation he was feeling as the situation around him deteriorated.

In the background King John’s angry shouts about how Michael had dared to shame his trueborn son in favor of a mere bastard were still ringing loudly. Gabriel’s sibling however didn’t acknowledge any of his words.

It was an almost impossible feat to contain Michael within his arms in order to prevent him from chasing after Adam’s rapidly disappearing form. The light which had illuminated his eyes just moments ago was quickly fading, and was replaced by a heart wrenching look of despair.

.

Gabriel felt for his brother, he truly did, but his priority was and always would be his safety. With all the strength he could muster in his tipsy state he dragged his struggling king away from the shouts and guards. He called for their own guards as well as the little banner man they had taken with them.

Gabriel didn’t know how he had managed to navigate both himself and his eldest brother out of the castle without drowning in the turmoil around them. By what seemed to be God’s mercy he managed to heave Michael, who appeared to have fallen in some kind of trance, on his horse.

He couldn’t recall ever having ridden with such speed. Everybody rode as if the devil himself was on their trail. The sound of the hooves hitting the ground rang like thunder in Gabriel’s ears.  
He glanced over to his brother. Michael was clutching his reins in a vice like grip, a sinister expression marring his beautiful features.

.

Michael, ever the dutiful one, the only sibling he had never expected to do anything unwise or imprudent. Out of the four of them Michael was the most reliable.

Michael, his strong, righteous big brother.

What about this Winchester boy had enamored him so greatly that he had been willing to act so foolishly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought about it! =)


	4. Dawn of a Conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, sadly I can't promise a more rapid progress for the chapter to come. School and internships are keeping me quite busy I'm afraid.

It was by no means unusual for Michael and Lucifer to argue, but this certainly was an unprecedented situation.   
Lucifer often turned angry when his oldest brother failed to see his point. Michael had the tendency to be blinded by what was right, unable to comprehend how anybody could consciously decide to act selfish or in any way harmful to others.  
Lucifer, however, thought of his eldest brother as stuck up and unable to enjoy life fully, never thinking of himself and therefore neglecting his mental as well as physical health.

But this, this was new. It was as if their roles had been reversed. Gabriel would have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but any joy had left his spirits days ago.

“Our relations with the house of Winchester were shaky at best. This marriage was supposed to enforce them, not ruin them entirely!” Lucifer hissed in a cold, almost menacing, tone.

Raphael was standing next to Gabriel, observing the verbal fight before them. Usually he would jump on any occasion to defend Michael, but even he was deeply disappointed. And confused. Surely this bastard couldn’t have been so impressive? He wasn’t even an adult yet!

“What were you thinking? Because I can only guess what you weren’t wasting a thought on: your people. They trust you to make the right decisions and you failed them! Risking an open war while our economy is already suffering? Did you stop to think about us, your family? Have you thought about Lilith? Did you, just for a moment, consider the niece you doomed to a childhood spoiled by your selfish warfare when you pushed our grandmother’s ring on that kid’s finger?”

Michael flinched under his brother’s harsh accusation, lowering his eyes and muttering, “Of course I did. I thought of Lilith and how her being anything less than the princess she ought to be would be a crime. In my eyes, the same applies to Adam. He is of royal blood, appreciated by his brothers and loved by his men. How was I supposed to know it would deteriorate so uncontrollably?”

“That’s no excuse and you are well aware of that!” Lucifer was yelling by now, his frustration translating into the volume of his voice.  
“You could have waited, you could have talked! You could have renegotiated the terms of the alliance with King John. You should have shown the patience and the thoughtful attitude that befits a king instead of rushing in like a lust fueled adolescent.”

Lucifer was making a valid point. For years Gabriel had hoped so keenly this day would finally come. Today, however, he wished for nothing more than for him to be wrong, for Michael to be without a fault once more.

“I am devoted to this country, I would give my soul and gladly be burned alive if it could benefit either my people or my family. You know this, you also know deep down that you wouldn’t be willing to sacrifice as much for the good of others. I could endure being deprived of anything - sunshine, sleep, food… But don’t deny me Adam.”

“Do you question my loyalty? Are you in all seriousness comparing my indiscretion and misconducts with the severe act of treason you have committed towards –“

“ENOUGH!”

Raphael’s voice was thick with emotions he wasn’t used to showing and it left a heavy silence in its wake.  
Gabriel felt helpless. How could one simple decision tear his family apart like this? Never before had their family faced a crisis quite like this one.

“What has been done can’t be undone. Instead of making a bad situation worse, we should focus on finding solutions.”  
Lucifer looked away, anger obviously still silently boiling inside him. Michael cast his eyes downwards, but nodded in agreement.  
“What information do we have? Has any word from Star Country reached us so far?”  
“I’m afraid not.” Gabriel answered, his voice lacking it’s usual liveliness.

“Then we must assume they are planning something. Surely they won’t just let the incident slide. From their point of view, their king’s pride and their prince’s honor has been severely attacked by the very person representing a country they didn’t have the best relations with. This may be a diplomatic disaster, but it doesn’t have to mean war yet.”  
Raphael’s rational words seemed to get Michael back to his usual, self-controlled self. He straightened his back again and raised his head.  
“Perhaps an official excuse would be a good start, accompanied with a ‘compensation’. You could claim cultural differences as a reason for your behavior.”  
Lucifer snorted at Raphael’s suggestion but otherwise remained silent. Michael nodded, deep in thought, while already moving towards his desk.  
“Thank you for your counsel, Raphael. That would indeed be the most sensible way to proceed.” He said, reaching for the quill.

The letter wasn’t even halfway finished though, when a knock on the door disrupted the fragile silence which had built up in the king’s office.  
“Your Highness, my lords.” The voice of the messenger was shaky as he knelt in front of the assembled royals.  
“A single messenger from Star Country has delivered this, saying that it is only intended for your Majesty’s eyes.” In his hands he held a beautifully ornamented metal box.  
“Did this messenger say anything else?” Michael inquired.  
“Only that this present is from King John himself.”

The king was already moving towards the box, but Lucifer was there before him. He took the so called “present” and dismissed the messenger.  
“It could be a trap. An explosive or a powder to make you sick.” He reasoned. Lucifer using reason instead of guilt and emotional blackmail against his older brother, wonders never cease, Gabriel thought bitterly. Once again, he wished the occasion for all this unforeseen change would be a different one.  
“It might also be a mean to end this crises. I demand you hand it to me this instant.”  
But late King Charles’ second son had never been one to follow orders, and so he just turned around, hiding the mysterious box with his body, and opened it. From where he stood, Gabriel couldn’t see its contents, but what he did see was that Lucifer was quick to close the lid again after having glimpsed at what it held.  
Slowly, and with a calm that was unlike him, he handed the box to his elder brother, his face stony.  
Again, Gabriel was unable to see what the box contained, but Michael’s reaction told him enough. All color left the regent’s face and his eyes got an empty look. His expression … The blond trickster had never before seen such an expression marring his king’s face. He looked … crestfallen for a lack of a better word. Like all his life force had been sucked right out of him.  
Slowly, almost carefully, Michael moved back to his desk, took the unfinished letter into his hand and tore it apart with what appeared to be his last bit of strength. He let himself sink into his chair and made his grave expression disappear behind his right hand.  
Gabriel didn’t know what shook him the most; his favorite brother’s act of destroying a document which could have meant peace, or the fact that he was hiding his face in what seemed to be sorrow. He also never imagined that tearing paper apart could look so painful.  
“What is in the box?” Raphael asked Lucifer, while Gabriel moved towards the mentioned object. Gingerly he raised the lid, revealing its gruesome content.  
Inside lay a severed finger; dried blood coated most of the dead flesh, which had turned an unnatural shade of white, coloring it in a sickening brownish color. It rested on a small silver colored satin pillow, the contrast made the finger seem even more mutilated.  
“What’s in the box?” Raphael repeated himself as Gabriel finally discovered the reason for Michael’s severe reaction. Near the base of the finger, still shining brightly, was his grandmother’s ring. He felt as if a ball of lead had suddenly invaded his stomach as he realized just who’s finger lay there in the box, wearing a royal engagement ring.

“It’s a declaration of war.” Lucifer answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this part, despite the depressing ending. Also, I mentioned in one of my comments, that this chapter would be a flashback to better understand how Michael fell for Adam, but this chapter came to me so much easier. I sincerely hope I will one day be able to post the promised chapter.
> 
> Thank you all for your support =)


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